Plans for the construction of a new middle school in Ector County, encompassing over 1700 square feet, have been disclosed despite the bond that includes the school not yet having passed. "Growth within Odessa has sparked the need for a new middle school", it was said.
According to CBS7 News, if the Ector County Independent School District bond is passed, a new middle school will be erected in West Odessa. The majority of current ECISD middle schools are located in Loop 338, but with growth noticeable to both the northeast and western parts of the county, justifications have arisen for another middle school to be built elsewhere.
As noted by CBS7 News, significant growth has been observed in West Odessa and consequently within ECISD. A resident of West Odessa, Kevin Searcy, stated that “there are roughly 20,000 new residents in this area since we passed the last bond in 2012.” The proposed school aims to cater to over 1000 students living outside of Loop 338 in West Odessa.
The ECISD website provided insights into projected costs of construction which range between $63 million and $75 million. It explained further stating: “These are projected construction costs for 2024 and beyond when construction of the campus would actually begin.” Additional expenses such as furniture and equipment raise the total cost estimate up to approximately $120 million. Present locations of middle schools impose challenges on some students due to their residing areas; for instance, "students who live in Gardendale area must travel to Wilson & Young, while students who live in west Odessa are mostly zoned to Crockett and Bowie," according to ECISD.